Extensible mast.



B F SEYMOUR exsnsl'le MAST. API-LICLTION FILED FEB. 2. |916- Patentedv Dee. 11, 1917,.

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' wom/Hoz Aattorney B..F. SEYMOUR'.

EXTENSIBLE MAST; APPucATloN FILED nmz. m6.

Fammi Dee. 11,` 1917.

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B. FQSEYMOUH.

EXTENSIBLE MAST.

APPLICATION HLED FEB. 2. |916. v 1,259,108.' Patented Das. 11,1917. 4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

nvmm pms f i' an sans r'rn :BENJAMIN F. SEYMOUR, OF DENVER, COLORADOASSIGNOR T0 'EI-IE INTERNATIONAZL ARMY & NAVY EQUIPMENT COMPANY, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

EXTENSIBLE MAST.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 11, 1917.1'

Application filed February 2, 1916. Serial No. 75,772.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN F. SEY- MOUR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Denver, in the county of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Extensible Masts, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in mechanism for elevating an object from a normal lowered position to a position of greater altitude and wherein certain elevating sections of the mechanism are normally telescoped with each other and with a main or master section and another or central section is nested within the area bounded by the groups of telescoped sections, the nested section being initially elevated relatively to the other and telescoped sections aiid said telescoped sections being successively elevated relatively to each other and relatively to the main or master section, and said central section adapted as a support and carrier for an accessory, which may be useful in warfare or for other purposes.

More specically, my invention has reference to an improved extensible mast for use in warfare or other purposes and wherein certain sections of the mast are telescopically or likewise collapsible one within the other and relatively to a stationary normally upright base or master section, and wherein a central, normally-housed section serves as a supportv and carrier for an observation platform from which the surrounding country may be inspected; or the platform may represent a turret for the support of a gun, or a supporting agency for a signaling apparatus, wireless or otherwise or primarily, inl

the present instance, for a searchliglit, the arrangement being such that when the sections of the mast are in their normal collapsed or folded position the supporting agency or platform occupies or is contained within the area bounded by the permanently upright master or base section, from which latter section the movable sections of the mast may be successively projected first relatively to each other and then relatively to the base section, to properly carry to the appropriate elevation, the searchlight, gun, signal or mnnition intended to be used in association with the mast.

In the accompanying drawings'forming part of this specification and in which similar reference characters indicate like parts inthe several views .Figure 1 is a side elevation of an extensible mast embodying my invention and showing the sections of the mast in their normal collapsed positions.

F ig. 2 is a top plan view.

Fig. 8 is a side elevation on a reduced scale, showing the mast extended.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical lon` itudinal sectional view on the line a-a o Fig. 2,- sliowing the sections extended.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged horizontal section on the line ZJ-Z) of Fig. l.

Fig. 6 is a cross section on the line c-c of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a cross section on the line clof Fig. 5.

In carrying outl my invention I employ a foundation or support of some suitable form upon which the mast in both its collapsed and extended positions may be sus-i tained, and which support-may be eithery stationary or movable. For some purposes, I prefer to make the foundation or support of a portable character and hence I illustrate this support in the form of the platform, 10, of a wheeled vehicle, liorseless or otherwise and supplied with such accessories as may be of practical use, or such equipment as will be best suited for the particular field of service for which the particular mast is designed.V

Upon the platform the master or base section, 11, of the mast is designed to be normally and rigidly sustained in an upright position, in which respect its mounting is different from the base sections of like structures which, ordinarily, are recumbent when in their normal or inactive condition and which are manually raised from the recumbent to an upright position by special appliances, such as haul ropes and guides, sheaves therefor, and the like.

The upright master or base section may be secured to or on the platform in any desired manner, and the height of its projection above the platform and its construction are such that it may receive and form an inl closure or housing for the other or vertically movable sections by which the mast is extensible and the implement or device with which the central section is supplied, may be elevated to such limits as will make it useful for the purposes befOr@ mentioned.

lVhile the construction of the base section may vary within wide limits, 1 prefer and therefore illustrate as a desirable embodiment of my invention, a section composed of corner uprights, 12, of tubular form and spaced to form substantially the corners of a square or rectangle when viewed from above, and as shown in F ig. 2, and the several uprights being connected to stay-rods, 13, or the like to hold them in rigid position, and in parallelism. Tubular or other crossero'ds or bars, 419, also connect the uprights to insure greater stability and permanency to this base section and to form mountings for the cross shafts, 17, hereinafter mentioned.

lVithin each of the corner uprights, 12, is slidably fitted a vertical shaft, 15, which is provided with a thread or equivalent groove of any suitable or desired arrangement and pitch and whose upper end operatively passes through a nut, 16, which so engages the thread of the shaft that when said shaft is rotated relatively to the nut and the fixed upright, it is also raised or lowered according to the direction in which the rotation occurs.

The specific means for rotating the shafts, l5, is unimportant. It may and Apreferably does,- include a normally lcez'ie bevel gear, 16, for each of the shafts, said gears being fixed to or otherwise made a part of the aforesaid nuts, and larger or master spur gears, 18, journaled in housings on two of the uprifrhts, 12, and meshing with the spur gears, 17, on shafts, 17, mounted in tubular cross bars, 19, and provided with beveled pinions, 19, each cf said master gears hav ing its shaft, 18, fashioned for the operative engagement of a crank, a, which, in practice, will be within convenient reach of an operator standing on' a platform, 20, shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3. and which platform may, in fact, represent the hinged lid or corner of a box cr receptacle, 21, on the platform of the vehicle shown,

Vlithin each of the shafts, 15, is adapted to slide or telescope another threaded shaft, 22, of substantially equal length thereto, and whose threads operatively engage a fixed nut, 23, mounted on the upper end of each of the said shafts, 15, one of said nuts being loosely carried at each end of the cross-rods or bars, 24,- which extend horizontally from one shaft, 15, to another and thereby tie together the several pairs of shafts, 15, to give increased stability and rigidness to the structure and to preserve the shafts, 15, in parallelism and to facilitate their vertical movements with the minimum of friction.

To the upper end of leach of the threaded shafts, 22. and it will be understood that the construction and operation of the several like shafts are the' same. is fixed a spur-gear, 22', the purpose of which will be hereinafter stated.

l/Vithin the areabounded by the aforesaid shafts, 15 and 22, is another slidably mount-` ed conveying structure and the one which, in the present instance, serves as the support and carrier of the instrument, machine, apl'laratus, etc., for the appropriate use of which the extensible mast is designed. rIhis device is herein shown as a searchlight, but manifestly, l. do not limit my invention to use therewith, although hereafter in this de-V scription and as a matter of simplicity, 1 will refer to said device as a searchiight.

The centrally located searchlight supperting structure also comprises suitable shafts, 25, having lower ends mounted in bearings, c, on the cross-bars, d, said shafts, 25, being also suitably braced and stayed by rods, 26, or otherwise, to maintain them truly vertical and in parallelism, and the upper ends of said shafts, 25, 'carrying spur-gears, 27, which are in' mesh with the spur-gears, 22, on the threaded shafts, 22. rlfhe gears are contained in casings, e, at the ends of cross-rods 7, as shown and which assist in holding the shafts together.

Between the several vertical shafts, 25, extends a platform, 2S, upon which the base portion, 29, of the searchlight is mounted, and which base portion may house the complementary mechanism (not shown), rusually associated with similar structures for facilitating the control thereof and varying the position of the reflecting surface and therefore the direction of the light rays, etc.

At the lends of the platform, 28, there are seemed or otherwise positioned suitable nuts, 30. through which pass the lower` ends of the vertical shafts, 25, (Fig. 1) the arrangement being such that as these shafts areV turned, the nuts, 3l), are caused to advance upwardly thereon, thereby raising the platform and its superpos'ed searchlight and projecting the latter to a point a substantial distance above the top of the mast-structure. Upon the platform, 28, may be positioned an operator, who from this point of observation is en'- ebled to control the position of the searchlight either directly or through seme signaling apparatus to an operator below and give such instructions as will enable the latter to turn the searchlight in any particular direction, so that its rays may illuminate the desired distant object; also to enable the observer to correct defects in adjustment of the usual electric light carbons, with which searchlights are usually supplied.

For the better protection of the gearing from the influence of foreign mattei', 1 pre# fer to locate them in appropriate housings or casings, and I may employ such other mechanical accessories or details for the' strengthening of the structure and to insure its rigidity and for the protection of its parts and the operators thereof,- as may be found either necessary or desirable, these being mere mechanical expedients which have no ,essential bearing upon the broader features of my invention.

In the operation. of the device and assuming for present purposes that the extensible mast is mounted upon a wheeled vehicle, this vehicle is driven to the desired place with the sections of the mast collapsed or folded as in the position shown in Fig. 1, and wherein the searchlight supporting features are contained wholly within the area bounded by the inner walls of the rigid upright base section.` On arriving'at the vdesired point, operators standing on the platform, 20, will turn the cranks, a, through the gears, 18, 17, and 19, and geared crossshjafts will give rotation to the series of threaded shafts, 15, and also to the series of beveled gears, 16', and the nuts, 16, through whichthe shafts pass and which gears, 16', are loosely mounted, whereby the shafts and gears and nuts turn in unison and no movement in a vertical direction is imparted to said shafts. The rotation of the shafts, and the friction between the sameand the interior shafts, 22, will, however, cause the rotation of the inter-meshing gears, 22, and 27, at the top between the shafts, 15, and the shafts, 25, of the light supporting structure, and the relsult is that rotation is now imparted to the shafts, 25, and as the latter are of smaller diameter than the shafts, 22, and in practice will have threads of greater pitch than those of the shafts, 22, said shafts, 25, will work inthe nuts, 30, at the ends .of the platform, 2S, and cause the platform and supported searchlight to be vertically raised until the nuts or some other suitable portion of the moving structure engages from below the casing of the gearwheels, 27, at the top of the shafts, 25, or some other suitable stop,

which operation holds the nuts against further travel and retards the rotation of and substantially locks-the shafts, 25, against rotation and at the same time locks the gears, 22-27, and shafts, 22, against further rotation. This rotates the series of screwshafts, 22, which being of smaller diameter than the screw shafts, 15, and having in practice threads of a sharper pitch than the latter, will turn in the nuts, 23, independentlyof the shafts, 15,-and advance out of the shafts, 15, carrying the central light supporting section with them, and until the ends of the threads are reached, when further rotation is checked. In this condition of the parts, the continued manipulation of the crank handles. a, and the conversion of its motion through the gears, 18, 17 and 19', to the loose gears, 16', and attached nuts, will now cause the latter to so engage with the threads of the shafts, 15, that these shafts are moved upwardly carrying with them the elevated shafts, 15 and 22, and the interior searchlight supporting structure,

namely, the shafts, 25, the platform, 28, and searchlight, until they shafts, 15, have reached the upward limit of their movement, or until the mast has been projected to such elevation as may be desired. In its now extended position, the searchlight is elevated above any portion of the mast structure, so as to secure an unobstructed field for the projection of its rays.

The parts may be collapsed or moved into their normal position by a reverse operation as will be readily understood and when so collapsed, the shafts, 25 and their connec-, tions which form `the supporting framework for the searchlight will lower into and be wholly contained within the area bounded by the inner walls of the normally upright and rigid base section formed by the tubular uprights and cross connections before mentioned.

i Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure byLet-` ters Patent is: j

1. A sectional mast having a movably. mounted section adapted to normally lie within the areabounded by the interior dimensions of another section and being open.

at the top, said movably mounted section having a conveying platform normally positioned near the base of the other section, and means for elevating said platform rela-H tively to its own section to carry the-supported load to the upper limits of the latter.l

2. A sectional mast having a movably mounted section adapted to normally liewithin the area bounded by the interior walls of another section and being open aty the top, said movably mounted section having a conveying platform normally positioned near the base of the other section, and means for elevating said platform relatively to its own section and to the companion section, to carry the supported load to the upper limits of its own section.

3. A sectional mast having a base or master section normally and permanently sustained in an upright position, and a plurality of extensible sections, one of said latter sections being telescopieally tted to the main or master section and another of said extensible sections adapted to normally nest within the areav bounded by the interior of the first-named extensible section and being open at the top and carrying a movably mounted Conveying platform which normally lies in the lower portion of said nested section.

f1. A sectional mast having a base or master section normally and permanently sustained in an upright position, and la plurality of extensible sections, one of said latter sections being slidably fitted to the main section and another of said extensible sections adapted to normally nest within thenamed extensible section and being open at the top and carrying` a inovably mounted load support, and lneans for raising and lowering said support relatively to its'own S; Y

5; A sectional niast having a base or inaster section norn'ially and permanently sustained in an upright position, and a plurality of extensible sections, one of said lat-v ter sections being slidably fitted to the lnain section and another of said extensible sectiene Aadapted to nornially nest Within the area bounded by the' interior of the lir'stnamed extensible section and being' open at the top and carrying" a inovably inount'ecl load siippoit Ywhich normally lies in the lov'ver portion of said nested section, and means for raising and lowering said slipport relatively to its own section and to said base section.

' 6. A sectional lnast having base-section normally and permanently sustained in an upright position and comprising a yseriesv of spaced parallel tubular inelnbers; a series of extensible sections provided with spaced parallel, vertical screw-shafts, the series of one of said extensible sections telescopically fitting the series of tubular inernbers of said base section, and the series of vertical shafts of the other extensible section being norinally parallel With the shafts of the firstnarned extensible section whereby one extensible section inay normally nest Within the area bounded by the shafts of the other section, gearing between the upper portions of the extensible sections, and operating ineans on the base section including rotatable nuts engagil'ig the scren7 shafts of the iir'stmalned extensible section.

7. An extensible rnast having a base section and a series of extensible sections, one of said extensible sections being slidable vertically in line with the base section and another extensible section being vertically slidable Within the base section and parallel to the first-named extensible section so that it may be lowered into and be norlnally nested Within the areabounded by the inner Walls of the rnain section, said nesting section hai74 ing vertical parallel screw shafts, and a 'needles lead support iiemslly lying in the base of the masi and having init-members receiving the screw shafts of the ne's'tiiigy section W'lierebyx upon the retation of saii` lastnanied shafts the load support is elevated relatively to the base Section te tli support to substantiallykthe tep 'of the latter;

s. Aii; extensible 'raast having base 'see tien and s series of extensible ssetieiis, ene of said extensible sections being slitl-ble nieally iii line 'with the base sectlieii aria iii: ether extensible secties being venieally ar able in a plans wliili is interior: te nis piane of the base setioii aiil parallel yt6 the fil y nained `extensible sectlii seftliat it' b' lwered iiiie sila be iiestssl einen the area boi'lded by the inneii'wlls of the main section, said nesting seetien having vertical,- parallel srevv shafts, nand a Iload support nor'rna'lly lying in the base of the lnast and having' nnt-'rneinbers receiving the screvi7 shafts of the nesting section ivheeby upon the' rotation of said lastliln'ed shafts the load support is elevated relatively to the base section to carry the snppt to slbstalitially the top si the lattes, ana eeiinsefisiis between the Lipper prtions f the several sectionsadapted te elevate the sections in unison and vvliile the load stipprt is in its elevated sitllatieni *A 9i A sectional n'ast provided with a plu? rality of opposed upright seeties and other sections co-ae'ting theiev'siitli vertically movable relatively theret, l'i interior eoliveysr section centrally 4lispesed within the area boundedby the other sections and being open at the isp, and means for rai-'sing and lowering the corivyr sectiil in relation to the said upright' seet'ins;

10. A sectional lnast provided ivith an in terior centrally-'disposed topen tp section, a load-support and means fr ii'iviiifg the saine toward and frein the apen top ef said eenL trai Section, and a criti'iviice on the Slip# pori and exposabls throiigh the peii top of the section when the load "support is in its elevated position. 4

Iii testimony ifvlisreef I anni signature BnNJaMiN snraolin.y

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